Sports calendar 2013: What’s on in the sport world this year

Back-to-back Ashes series are likely to be one of the biggest highlights of 2013 (Picture: Getty)

The sporting events of 2012 are going to be an incredibly tough act to follow, but with back-to-back Ashes series and Bradley Wiggins attempting to defend his Tour de France title there are plenty of mouth-watering prospects lined up for this year. Here’s a run down of what you shouldn’t miss in 2013.

JANUARY

Athletics

26 Glasgow: Aviva International

BASKETBALL

13 Birmingham: BBL Cup final

CRICKET

11 Rajkot: India v England, 1st ODI

15 Kochi: India v England, 2nd ODI

19 Ranchi: India v England, 3rd ODI

23 Mohali: India v England, 4th ODI

27 Dharmasala: India v England, 5th ODI

CYCLING

17-19 Aguascalientes: Track World Cup III

DARTS

5-13 Frimley Green: BDO World Championships

FOOTBALL

5-7 FA Cup third round

19-Feb 10 South Africa: Africa Cup of Nations

26 FA Cup fourth round

GOLF

4-7 Hawaii: Hyundai Tournament of Champions

10-13 Durban: Volvo Champions

17-20 Abu Dhabi Championship

23-26 Doha: Commercialbank Qatar Masters

31-Feb 3 Dubai: Omega Dubai Desert Classic

MOTOR RACING

15-20 Monte Carlo Rally

RUGBY LEAGUE

31 Start of Co-operative Championship season

SNOOKER

13-20 London: The Masters

SQUASH

2-6 London: World Series Finals

18-24 New York: Tournament of Champions

TENNIS

1-6 Doha: Qatar ExxonMobil Open

14-27 Melbourne: Australian Open

Novak Djokovic won last year’s Australian Open

FEBRUARY

ATHLETICS

9-10 Sheffield: European indoor trials and UK Champs

16 Birmingham: IAAF Indoor Grand Prix

BADMINTON

1-3 Manchester: English Championships

CRICKET

2 Mumbai: England v Sri Lanka, Women’s World Cup

4 Mumbai: India v England, Women’s World Cup

6 Mumbai: England v West Indies, Women’s World Cup

9 Auckland: New Zealand v England, 1st T20

9-13 Mumbai: Super sixes, Women’s World Cup

12 Hamilton: New Zealand v England, 2nd T20

15 Wellington: New Zealand v England, 3rd T20

17 Mumbai: Women’s World Cup final

17 Hamilton: New Zealand v England, 1st ODI

20 Napier: New Zealand v England, 2nd ODI

23 Auckland: New Zealand v England, 3rd ODI

CYCLING

20-24 Minsk: Track World Championships

FOOTBALL

2-3 Scottish Cup fifth round

6 International friendlies:

England v Brazil

Republic of Ireland v Poland

Scotland v Estonia

Wales v Austria

Malta v Northern Ireland

12-13 Champions League round of 16 first legs

14 Europa League round of 32 first legs

16-17 FA Cup fifth round

19-20 Champions League round of 16 first legs

21 Europa League round of 32 second legs

24 Capital One Cup final

GOLF

7-10 Johannesburg: Joburg Open

14-17 East London: Africa Open

14-17 Arizona: WGC Matchplay Championship

28-Mar 3 Copperleaf: Tshwane Open

MOTOR CYCLING

24 Phillip Island: World Superbikes

RUGBY LEAGUE

1-3 First round of Super League fixtures

22 Headingley: Leeds v Melbourne, World Club Challenge

RUGBY UNION

2 Six Nations: Wales v Ireland, England v Scotland

3 Six Nations: Italy v France

9 Six Nations: Scotland v Italy, France v Wales

Wales will be out to defend last year’s Grand Slam triumph in the Six Nations (Picture: PA)

10 Six Nations: Ireland v England

23 Six Nations: Italy v Wales, England v France

24 Six Nations: Scotland v Ireland

TENNIS

1-3 Davis Cup first round

9-10 Fed Cup first round

11-17 Doha: Qatar Total Open

18-24 Dubai Duty Free Championships (women)

25-Mar 3 Dubai Duty Free Champs (men)

MARCH

ATHLETICS

1-3 Gothenburg: European Indoor Championships

BADMINTON

5-10 Birmingham: All England Open Championships

BASKETBALL

9 Glasgow: BBL Trophy final

CRICKET

6-10 Dunedin: New Zealand v England, 1st Test

14-18 Wellington: N Zealand v England, 2nd Test

22-26 Auckland: N Zealand v England, 3rd Test

CYCLING

3-10 France: Paris-Nice

6-12 Italy: Tirreno-Adriatico

17 Italy: Milan-San Remo

18-24 Spain: Volta Ciclista a Catalunya

FOOTBALL

2-3 Scottish Cup quarter-finals

5-6 Champions League round of 16 second legs

7 Europa League round of 16 first legs

9-10 FA Cup quarter-finals

12-13 Champions League round of 16 second legs

14 Europa League round of 16 second legs

15 Nyon: Champions League and Europa League quarter-final, semi-final and final draws

22 World Cup qualifying matches

San Marino v England

Scotland v Wales

Sweden v Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland v Russia

26 World Cup qualifying matches

Montenegro v England

Republic of Ireland v Austria

Wales v Croatia

Northern Ireland v Israel

Serbia v Scotland

GOLF

7-10 Florida: WCG Cadillac Championship

14-17 India: Avantha Masters

21-24 Kuala Lumpur: Maybank Malaysian Open

28-31 Morocco: Hassan Trophy

MOTOR CYCLING

10 New Delhi: World Superbikes

MOTOR RACING

17 Melbourne: Australian Grand Prix

Sebastien Vettel and his Red Bull team get their 2012 Drivers’ and Constructors’ title defences underway in March (Picture: Reuters)

24 Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Grand Prix

RACING

12-15 Cheltenham Festival

ROWING

31 London: Boat Race

RUGBY UNION

8-10 LV= Cup semi-finals

9 Six Nations: Scotland v Wales, Ireland v France

10 Six Nations: England v Italy

16 Six Nations: Italy v Ireland, Wales v England,

France v Scotland

17 LV= Cup final

SQUASH

18-22 London: Canary Wharf Classic

TENNIS

4-17 Indian Wells: BNP Paribas Open

18-31 Miami: Sony Open

APRIL

ATHLETICS

21 Virgin London Marathon

BASKETBALL

28 London: BBL play-off final

CYCLING

1-6 Spain: Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco

7 France: Paris-Roubaix

19-20 Manchester: UCI BMX Supercross World Cup

FOOTBALL

2-3 Champions League quarter-final first legs

4 Europa League quarter-final first legs

9-10 Champions League quarter-final second legs

11 Europa League quarter-final second legs

13-14 FA Cup semi-finals

13-14 Scottish Cup semi-finals

23-24 Champions League semi-final first legs

25 Europa League semi-final first legs

30-May 1 Champions League semi-final second legs

GOLF

11-14 Georgia: US Masters

MOTOR CYCLING

7 Doha: Qatar MotoGP

7 Aragon: World Superbikes

7 Brands Hatch: British Superbikes

14 Thruxton: British Superbikes

21 Austin: Americas MotoGP

28 Assen: World Superbikes

MOTOR RACING

14 Shanghai: Chinese Grand Prix

21 Sakhir: Bahrain Grand Prix

RACING

4-6 Aintree: Grand National meeting

Neptune Collonges (grey) won last year’s Grand National which was marred by the death of two horses (Picture: Daily Mail)

RUGBY UNION

4-7 Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals

5-7 Heineken Cup quarter-finals

26-28 Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals

26-28 Heineken Cup semi-finals

SNOOKER

Ronnie O’Sullivan is the reigning World Champion after he beat Ali Carter at the Crucible last year (Picture: AFP)

20-May 6 Sheffield: World Championship

TENNIS

5-7 Davis Cup: Great Britain v Russia

15-21 Monte Carlo Rolex Masters

20-21 Fed Cup semi-final

22-28 Barcelona Open

TRIATHLON

6-7 Auckland: ITU World Triathlon Series

19-20 San Diego: ITU World Triathlon Series

MAY

ATHLETICS

10 Doha: Diamond League meeting

18 Shanghai: Diamond League meeting

25 New York: Adidas Grand Prix

CRICKET

16-20 Lord’s: England v New Zealand, 1st Test

24-28 Headingley: England v New Zealand, 2nd Test

31 Lord’s: England v New Zealand, 1st ODI

CYCLING

4-26 Italy: Giro d’Italia

FOOTBALL

2 Europa League semi-final second legs

11 FA Cup final

15 Amsterdam: Europa League final

18 League 2 play-off final

19 League 1 play-off final

25 Wembley: Champions League final

Chelsea won last season’s Champions League final against Bayern Munich (Picture: Daily Mail)

26 Glasgow: Scottish Cup final

27 Championship play-off final

29 International: England v Republic of Ireland

GOLF

2-5 Binhai: Volvo China Open

9-12 Florida: Players Championship

16-19 Bulgaria: Volvo World Match Play Championship

MOTOR CYCLING

5 Jerez: Spain MotoGP

6 Oulton Park: British Superbikes

12 Monza: World Superbikes

19 Le Mans: France MotoGP

26 Donington: World Superbikes

MOTOR RACING

12 Catalunya: Spanish Grand Prix

26 Monte Carlo: Monaco Grand Prix

RUGBY LEAGUE

25-26 Manchester: Super League Magic weekend

RUGBY UNION

10-12 RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs

11-12 Aviva Premiership semi-finals

17 Dublin: Amlin Challenge Cup final

18 Dublin: Heineken Cup final

25 Aviva Premiership final

25 RaboDirect PRO12 final

TENNIS

6-12 Madrid: Mutua Madrid Open

13-19 Rome: Internationali BNL d’Italia

26-Jun 9 Paris: French Open

TRIATHLON

11-12 Yokohama: ITU World Series

JUNE

ATHLETICS

1 Eugene: Prefontaine Classic

6 Rome: Golden Gala

13 Oslo: Bislett Games

22-23 Gateshead: European Team Championships

30 Birmingham Grand Prix

CRICKET

2 Southampton: England v N Zealand, 2nd ODI

5 Trent Bridge: England v New Zealand, 3rd ODI

6-23 Cardiff, Edgbaston, The Oval: ICC Champions Trophy

25 The Oval: England v New Zealand, 1st T20

27 The Oval: England v New Zealand, 2nd T20

CYCLING

2-9 France: Criterium du Dauphine

Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour de France with his 2012 success (Picture: PA)